Page 100 of Tobias

“What’s that?” I ask.

“Let me take you out on a date tonight.”

I huff out a laugh. “Really?”

“Yeah.” He kisses the back of my head before nuzzling his face against me. “A real date.”

I don’t think this man could be any more perfect.

“Let’s do it,” I answer.

“Do you trust me?”

“Uh… yeah?” I say carefully.

“Enough to pick out your clothes?”

“What am I, five?”

He chuckles, his breath warm against my skin. “No, but I want to surprise you with my outfit. It’s… not your average suit, so I’d like to make sure we compliment each other.”

I roll in his arms so we’re facing each other.

“I think we do that anyway.”

He smiles, leaning in to kiss my nose. “I think so too.”

We stay in bed for most of the morning, cuddling and on-and-off sleeping. I only get up to let Biscuit outside, and when she comes back in, she joins us in bed. It’s ultimately my stomach growling that makes us get up and stay up. I make usbreakfast, we eat, and Tobias tells me he needs to leave to get ready for work. Our date is planned for tomorrow, Monday, since he doesn’t have any clients. He told me he’d come here to get ready with me.

When I get out of the shower, I find a missed call from Marianne, so I call her back. I haven’t heard from her since Christmas, outside of a few check-in texts. It’s awful of me, but I keep forgetting she exists. I’m safe in this little bubble with Tobias, and I never want to leave. Disaster is waiting for me out there and I can’t face it. I know what it’ll mean; I know what’s going to happen. Which is why I need to figure out a way to fix it before it happens. Could I convince Tobias to leave everything behind and move to another country to me?

“Hey,” she answers the phone cheerily.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah, everything here is good. We finally figured out the plan to get back home.”

“That’s great,” I say, trying to sound happy, even though my stomach is sick over the thought.

“Mom and Dad are going to fly back tomorrow, but I’m going to stay with Betty, Lawrence, and Leslie until she is good to fly.”

“When is that?” I ask.

“They say a week old, but Betty is a little nervous about that, so it may be a couple weeks. Is that okay?”

“Of course that’s okay,” I tell her.

The more time you’re there, the safer I am here with Tobias.

“Leslie is such a perfect baby, Theo. I can’t wait for you to meet her.”

Marianne sent me pictures the other day. Leslie is precious, with golden hair, just like her parents.

“Me either,” I say. “See you when you get back.”

“Love you.”

“Love you too,” I say quickly, then end the call.

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